


Interference

by bob_eclipsa_smith



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: F/M, Familial Fluff, Humor, allura is good at feelings (sort of), hunk is a pure bean, i love lotor more than life itself, keith is bad at feelings, lance has far too much time on his hands, shiro just wants to finish his book, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-24
Updated: 2017-11-04
Packaged: 2019-01-22 03:26:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12472408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bob_eclipsa_smith/pseuds/bob_eclipsa_smith
Summary: In which Lance, Shiro and Hunk decide to meddle in Allura's love life. Because what else do they have to do on their day off?Takes place during season 4 while Keith is off galavanting with the Blade of Marmora.





	1. In Which Lance is a Jealous Not-Boyfriend

**Author's Note:**

> based off of one of my favorite TVD fics by ribbons-blue on fanfiction.net called 'meddlers'. 
> 
> It came to me and wouldn't leave me alone so enjoy.

It was a normal day in The Castle of Lions.

Or, as normal as a day truly could be in a floating metal space castle inhabited by flirtatious, broody, irritable Earthlings alike, a fierce space princess whose deceptively innocent crystal blue eyes could wield feminine authority like her whip…and her very own resident creepy uncle.

So...normal.

Unfortunately, a normal, relaxed day did not appeal to one of the Earthlings residing in the Castle of Lions. And he was not allowing the others to enjoy the anomaly that was the relaxation. The boy was akin to that of a lost puppy, bearing a startling resemblance to one of Earth’s greatest annoyances:

Brothers.

Even to the most patient of the paladins, the idea of the ‘irritable little brother’ was something else entirely. And this is how the most patient of all the paladins finds himself being unceremoniously interrupted by one such hindrance.

Shiro prided himself on knowledge, and even though miles away from Earth, he managed to scrounge up a few books from various planets. His deft fingers traced the delicate pages with care, taking caution on not ripping them. The words were translated to English, courtesy of the handy Altean technology that Allura was kind enough to lend to him.

At the annoyance’s primary arrival, Shiro had attempted to ignore the stage whispers and exaggerated movements coming from his right. The black paladin simply rolled his eyes, and buried his face further into his book, shutting Lance out entirely.

“Shiro."

“…”

“Hey!”

“…”

“Hey, Shiro!”

A deliberately heavy sigh.

“I know you can hear me!”

“…”

“Answer me, or maybe I'll tell Hunk who really ate all his-”

The book shut with a deft slam, and dispassionate obsidian eyes flicked to meet those triumphant ones of the blue paladin. “ _What_ , Lance?”

Lance shot Shiro a sly grin. _Aha_! _Success_! “Shiro!” He hissed, beckoning the older man over with a quickly flapping hand. Shiro rolled his eyes, deciding that the gesture suited the bubbly Lance perfectly, before folding his arms irately across his chest.

“ _What_ , Lance?” He repeated. “What could _possibly_ be so important that you had to interrupt my reading for? Huh? Is the world ending? Has Zarkon taken the black lion? Has Haggar come to finish us all off? Has _Allura_ been kidnapped? Huh?”

Lance rolled his eyes. “Uh, no.”

“Then, _what_?” The man hissed, becoming increasingly indignant with each second spent in the blue paladin’s presence.

Lance heaved a bodily sigh, taking Shiro’s hand like a child would his mother, and attempting to actually lift the black paladin off the couch. He failed. Miserably. Lance gave a few groans of frustration, digging his heels into the ground as the attempts to pull Shiro off the couch doubled in intensity.

“Come on, Shiro,” he grunted. “Come _on_! Get off your lazy _butt_!”

Shiro rolled his eyes, fighting the uncanny urge to tell Lance that he was under no circumstances lazy, and stood of his own accord, the momentum of his large body shoving the lanky boy to the ground with nothing more than a small _oomph_! Lance blinked once, then scrambled to his feet upon seeing that his boundless persistence had _actually_ worked in getting the black paladin to listen to him. Lance offered Shiro a shaky grin. One that he returned with a solemn glare and an impatient tapping of his foot. “Well?” He began, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Didn't you want to show me something, Lance? I'm sure it's _super duper important.”_

Lance shot him a lopsided grin, unaware, or more likely apathetic, towards Shiro’s cynicism. “Oh, yeah! Come on! She's at it _again_!” And with that not so vague statement, the skinny boy had taken off down a hallway, not stopping to see whether or not Shiro was actually following.

Shiro heaved his third sigh in five minutes, casting a longing look to the discarded book on the couch.

He sighed yet again, pinching the bridge of his nose with two metallic fingers.

To condemn himself to an afternoon of childish antics with Lance, or to continue his one day off in peace, only to have said annoyance pestering him for the rest of it?

He dropped his hand, took a deep breath and…

* * *

 

“See?” The boy asked, practically falling off the ledge as he tried to get a better look at whatever it was that he found to be so very interesting. “She's doing it _again_! Look!”

Shiro squinted, following the path of Lance’s particularly insistent finger, yet unseeing anything even particularly interesting. Upon seeing just who _she_ was, Shiro was quite tempted to roll his eyes once more.

“Lance.” He began in dry disinterest. “You brought me here so we could _stalk_ Allura?"

“What? No! She's doing it _again_!”

This time, Shiro did roll his eyes, placing his cheek in his hand. “ _What_ is she doing that's so interesting? So she likes to hang out by the red lion. Come on, Lance. This is a new low, even for you.”

And with that, the black paladin cuffed his friend playfully yet scornfully on his head, gracefully standing and heading back to where his book waited patiently for Shiro’s promised return. Lance, after a few seconds of grumbling and running hands to fluff his hair back to perfection, followed Shiro back. “But _Shiro_! Don't you even want to know _why_?”

After the umpteenth sigh this afternoon, Shiro turned to face the distraught blue paladin yet again. His arms folded across his chest before he answered. “No,” he said plainly. “Allura deserves privacy. Her life outside Voltron should have nothing to do with us. Lance, this is stupid and wrong. Leave her alone.”

Lance, twiddling his thumbs and narrowing his eyes, grumbled incoherent things that sounded suspiciously like ‘ducking glass troll’ and ‘stupid black paladins’. “Shiro,” he drawled out teasingly, in that maddening tone that usually had Pidge leaping on him, attempting to hit him with whatever was in range. “Allura’s in _looooooovve_. I'm surprised you haven't figured it out yet.”

Shiro stopped. Looked back at the devious paladin standing behind him, rubbing his hands together like some deranged cartoon super villain.

“She's not in love, Lance. Quit being such an idiot.”

He started walking again, in a quickened pace as to not be intercepted by this irritating thing that happened to have been one of Voltron’s greatest assets. God, why couldn't it have been someone else, _anyone_ else?

Lance deftly slid in front of him, masking his near slip with faux confidence and a shaky smile. Like a motorcycle gang member, the boy leaned against the wall in front of Shiro, crossing his legs and folding his arms, giving Shiro a sly grin.

On anyone else, Shiro would have been intimidated.

But it was Lance, and he was anything but intimidating.

Shiro heaved yet another sigh. “Lance,” he started in his authoritative tone, laced with a slight hint of something bordering complete anger. “You're a vital part of Voltron and one of my best friends, but seriously, if you say another word about Allura’s ‘secret love life’, then I will have to kill you.”

“Shiro, Shiro, Shiro,” Lance chuckled, unintimidated by his leader’s idle threats. He placed a familial hand on Shiro’s muscular shoulder. Shiro fought the uncanny urge to punch Lance square in the face. “You may be good at fighting and leading Voltron and stuff, but…” another laugh. “You have no clue when it comes to romance.” Lance rolled the ‘r’ in ‘ _romance_ ’ and it took everything Shiro had not to beat Lance to an unrecognizable pulp.

Unaware, Lance grinned slyly, moving his eyebrows up and down ridiculously. Shiro released yet _another_ bodily sigh. “Okay,” he breathed. “I'll bite. What's the proof? Prove to me that Allura’s in love.”

Lance’s grin grew immensely wider, making Shiro immediately regret the decision to humor the blue paladin. The younger boy brought Shiro back to the ledge, where Allura’s slight figure sat against the large red lion, legs curled in and head resting on her knees.

Shiro watched the scene with dispassion, feeling a tad bit of grief as he and Lance practically stalked The Princess of Altea. “So she's...sitting…” Shiro stated dryly, with a tilt of his head. “And...maybe _crying_ …Lance! This is so wrong! She is _not_ in love! She's mourning the loss of her father! Remember? Alfor? He used to pilot the red lion!”

Lance scoffed, waving his hand nonchalantly. “Well, _duh_.” He said petulantly. “But so did _Keith_.”

_Oh_ _no_. Shiro fought the urge to facepalm.

He failed miserably.

“Lance?” He queried softly.

“Yeah, oh great and powerful black paladin?”

“Please don't tell me you think Allura’s in love with Keith.”

“That's exactly what I'm telling you. God, Shiro, I could've sworn you were smarter than this.”

Shiro rolled his eyes, and continued back towards the alluring call of his unfinished book. “Lance, this is really dumb. Keith isn't the reason Allura’s here.”

Lance snickered lowly. Shiro, ever the valiant hero, practically cringed away at anything even remotely romantic in nature. The poor man had virtually no experience, and so he was relying on simply his fighting instincts to make decisions for him.

It was cute in a pathetic kind of a way.

But even cuteness had its limits.

“Oh, come on, Shiro. Work with me here! Allura comes here all the time, not telling anyone just why she does it, and then she just stands there all _day_ with a forlorn expression.”

“Lance-”

He held up an impatient finger, lips curling into a similarly impatient scowl before brightening into a sunny grin of saccharine sweetness. “What else could it be, Shiro? If not…” He paused for dramatic effect. “...Lovesickness?”

Shiro rolled his eyes but said nothing, folding his arms across his chest.

Lance grinned. “Seeeeeeee? I'm right, right?”

Silence.

“Riiiiiiiiiiiiight, Shiro?”

Silence.

“Shiiiiiiiiiiro...."

“...”

“I'm always right, right Shiro? Say it. Say it, Shiro. I'm always right.”

“...”

“'Lance is always right', right Shiro? Right? Come on, man it's just four little words…saaaaaaay it…”

“You're an idiot, Lance.”

Lance pouted, thin eyebrows knitting together. “Well those aren't the four words that I was expecting…”

Shiro sighed, unconsciously wondering what it would be like if the blue paladin had been someone else. Preferably someone _useful_ and someone _not creepy_. Yes, that would have been ideal.

“Shiro! _Shiro!”_

But why did the blue lion (and now the red lion) choose Lance of all people? It could've had anyone else in the universe and it chose this scrawny, insufferable, childish, flirtatious…

“Shiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrooooo...."

...incredibly annoying, angering, sly, molesting…

“Shiro! She's _doing_ something! _Shiro_!"

"…"

“Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiro!”

At his limit, Shiro whirled on his blue paladin, obsidian eyes flashing with uncharacteristic anger.

“ _What_ , Lance?”

“Look!” Shiro followed the trail of the insistent finger. Allura had gotten up from her seat, and the only signs of her presumed departure were the swish of the automatic door as it shut behind her and the click of her heels on the asphalt. Lance stared in guileless awe, mouth agape like some kind of exotic fish.

Shiro stifled a groan. Between Keith’s pessimism, Pidge’s smarminess, Hunk’s unceasing talk of everything culinary and Lance’s blatant emotion, he had a hard time discerning which one gave him the greatest amounts of headaches.

Still, he humored the other boy, throwing up his hands in mock surprise. “Oh, wow! Lance, where did she go?”

Lance was on the ground once more, head peaking around the ledge to try and get a better view of the red lion’s hangar. “She's _gone_!”

Shiro raised an eyebrow. “Well yeah, it's almost time for bed.”

Lance shook his head. “She doesn't go to bed this early! Shiro, we have to look for her!”

Shiro released a heavy breath, rolling his eyes instinctively. “Haven't you had enough for the day, Lance? So Allura went to bed. You should follow her example and stop _stalking_ her.”

“Who should follow whose example and stop stalking who?”

Shiro and Lance simultaneously looked up as Hunk entered the small room where the black and blue paladins were conspiring. Lance’s mouth twisted into a sly grin upon seeing his new audience member, and Hunk’s face paled.

“Uuuh,” he said shakily. “Never mind! I don't care! I was never here!”

Lance caught hold of Hunk’s collar, inhibiting him from moving too far away. “Nope!” A struggle ensued between blue and yellow as the pair fought mercilessly for control of the situation. Lance had to dig his heels into the ground as to not get unceremoniously dragged by the much stronger paladin.

“Let _go_ , Lance!”

“No way!”

“It's a free universe!”

“Not entirely!”

“Just let me _go_!”

“Never!”

“ _Stop_!”

Both stopped, and two curious pairs of eyes turned to look at Shiro, who was currently employing his full authoritative power as the black paladin. Lance scowled. Hunk looked like he had just gone to heaven and back.

“Are you guys serious, right now? Lance?”

Lance chuckled. Shiro rolled his eyes.

“This is so stupid!”

Hunk stuttered. “What? I don't even know what's going on! All I know is that Lance almost _killed_ me!”

Lance’s eyes flashed in mock sympathy, and he released a heavy scoff. “Oh, please. All I wanted was for you to tell Shiro here what Allura has been doing for the past couple days.”

It was Hunk’s turn to sigh. “Of course this is about Allura..."

“Well, duh! She's in love with _Keith_!”

Hunk’s soft brown eyes widened. “Wait, _what_?! Says who?”

Lance pointed to himself, radiating pride. “Me, of course.”

Hunk’s expression dulled amusedly. “Oh, well yeah of course. Lance is always right.” He said, tone dripping with untold amounts of sarcasm.

Lance, unaware or perhaps uncaring of the sarcasm, grinned at Shiro. “See? Hunk understands.”

Shiro face palmed.

* * *

 

Lance stroked his chin in mock inquisitiveness, pursing his lips. The only thing he was missing was a trench coat and a pipe. “Oookaaaay,” he said to the two paladins besides him as he paced in deliberate slowness across the room. “We have to follow Allura.”

Shiro and Hunk’s eyes trailed the blue paladin as he continued his irritating pacing. Shiro had his head in his hand, and Hunk was currently eyeing Lance with concern. The yellow paladin’s hand raised shakily in the air in preparation to ask a question.

Lance gestured to Hunk. “Yes, Hunk?”

The hand went down. “Uhhhh, are you okay, Lance? You're acting...weirder than usual…”

A not-so-discrete snort from Shiro made it abundantly clear to the other two paladins on just how odd Shiro thought Lance’s behavior was, but an unusually stern glare from the gentle Hunk surprised Shiro into silence.

Lance, oblivious as ever, twiddled a piece of his silky mahogany locks in between his fingers. “Well yeah, it's _Allura_.” He reasoned plainly, much to his comrades slight amusement and exasperation. “She's supposed to fall in complete and utter love with _me_. Not _Keith_.”

Shiro stifled a small chuckle when he snuck a daring look at his pouty teammate, who was apparently so desperate for Allura’s affection that he was envious of a relationship that was so obviously not going to take place. Hunk shot Lance a disbelieving grin as well, shaking his head in condescension.

The gentle giant slapped a familial hand on Lance’s shoulder, his chocolate eyes radiating compassion. “Alright, bud. We’ll follow you in your creepy little stalker mission to see if Allura’s really in love with Keith. But she's not. I'm telling you that right now.”

Lance's expression brightened immediately. “Awww, yeah!” He punched the air. “It's gonna be like a spy mission. We need to get like walkie-talkies and binoculars and-”

Shiro, on the other hand, was not so thrilled with Hunk’s preposition.

“Wait... _we_?” The two paladins stopped and simultaneously turned their gazes to their leader whose arms were folded across his chest in an obvious act of defiance. “I never agreed to _stalk_ Allura!”

Lance frowned, knitting his brows together. He scratched his head. “Well Hunk volunteered you so you're coming. Come on guys! We have a mystery to solve!”

And with that, the blue paladin took off running in the direction of Allura’s room, a sympathetic Hunk and a grumbling Shiro following slowly behind.

“Why couldn't I have just finished my book in peace?” Shiro muttered absentmindedly. “Why?”

But Lance gave no answer, and Hunk only shot him a small empathetic smile.

One that Shiro didn't promptly return.  


	2. In Which Allura is a Victim of Stalking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a lot of arguing in this one. Hope you enjoy!

"Lance!” Shiro hissed as the trio made its way in attempted conspicuousness across the darkened hallways of the Castle of Lions. “What the hell are you doing??”

Lance, ever the sly spy, was currently slinking around, darting behind every single corner he could find and using obscene hand gestures to dictate where his fellow paladins should be. Such obscene hand gestures pertained to things related to ‘go’, ‘stop’, ‘be sneakier’, and of course, the ever necessary ‘shut up’.

The blue paladin poked his head around a corner, his eyes narrowing at the two dispassionate ones behind him. “Uh, I'm being stealthy. Can't say the same about you guys though. I thought you were paladins of _Voltron_! Come on, guys! Put some effort into being _sneaky_!” He hissed in an angry whisper.

Hunk and Shiro, as you can imagine, were not as excited about this plan as Lance, and so their movements were not as spy-like, but also not as unnecessarily annoying in origin.

Or as Lance liked to call it, ‘extra’.

How ironic that the blue paladin fit that slang word completely.

Shiro rolled his eyes. “Lance, it's completely dark, and no one is going to arrest us for walking in our own home. Stop acting like an idiot.”

Lance pouted, muttering incoherently to himself as he stalked away from the site of his dignity’s untimely demise at the hands of one Mr. Takashi Shirogane. The aforementioned merely followed behind the skinny boy, Hunk at his heels.

The three paladins walked a few more minutes in silence. Lance sulking up front, Shiro following placidly behind and Hunk coming soon thereafter.

That is...until Hunk’s stomach began to voice its opinions.

Everyone stopped and turned to look at the guilty paladin whose face, should the lights have been on, would have been shining a stark red color similar to the pigmentation of Lance’s lion.

“Uh, Hunk?” Shiro’s voice penetrated the awkward silence.

Hunk kept his quiet.

“Hunk?” Shiro repeated. “Are you—?”

“I'm hungry, okay? Geez! I've gone a full two hours without food!”

“Uh...okay? Well you can get something to—”

“ _Shiro_!” Lance’s hiss cut in, much to Shiro’s dismay. “This is a _mission_! There's no _eating_ during _missions_! Hunk, eat on your own time!”

Shiro rolled his eyes. “This _is_ his own time, Lance.” He pointed out. “You're taking up his own time with this silly whim of yours.”

A hurt frown worked it's way across Lance’s face. “Well that's not fair.” He said. “Hunk is here of his own free will, right Hunk?”

“Well actually—”

“Moving on!” Lance interrupted loudly, casting a glance to Shiro behind him, who had promptly stifled a snort between his metallic fingers. “We’re almost here! Just beyond this corner and then we’ll be at Allura’s room! Then we'll see what she's hiding…” Lance rubbed his hands together like a super villain (nothing that Zarkon didn't do on a regular basis, he reasoned internally), heaving a malevolent chuckle subsequently.

Shiro and Hunk exchanged a glance. Hunk raised his hand to his ear, rotating his pointer finger around his right ear in the universal gesture of ‘he's crazy’. Shiro stifled yet another laugh, and Lance, blissfully ignorant as ever, bounded ahead of the pair.

* * *

 

  
They spent the rest of the trip in silence.

Rather unimpressive assuming that the rest of the trip took all of thirty ticks, but when in the presence of one Lance McClain, it could be considered a victory of sorts.

Lance, after stating blatantly that he was the leader of this particular mission, decided to knock on Allura’s door, apparently not taking into consideration just what would happen if Allura _actually_ opened the door to find half the team outside her bedroom in the middle of the night, asking her about her possible feelings towards one Mr. Keith Kogane.

Because _that_ wasn't uncomfortable.

Nope, not at all.

Lance shot Hunk and Shiro a quick grin before knocking thrice upon the wooden surface of the princess’ bedroom door.

The three held their breaths, subconsciously worrying for Allura’s reaction. For even though Lance, Hunk and Shiro were paladins of the mightiest creation in all the universe, they were still very much _human males_.

And dealing with the wrath of a sleepy woman was perhaps more daunting than even Zarkon.

Especially if said sleepy woman was a crushing force of feminine authority; someone who could raise hell with a simple glare of her crystal blue eyes and a clack of her heeled foot upon the floor.

Fortunately for them, there was no response. Only silence followed Lance's knocking.

Shiro, being the characteristically concerned leader that he was, felt a chill run down the base of his spine. He shared an uneasy glance with Hunk, whose chocolate brown eyes gleamed with worry.

Faced with that same worry, Shiro stepped forwards and knocked in place of Lance. “Princess? Are you there?”

Silence.

“Princess?”

Nothing. Even Lance was silent.

“Allura?!”

Absolutely dead quiet.

Shiro's heart skyrocketed. “I'm coming in.” He said gruffly before kicking the door once, twice, three times. The wooden door swung open with a squeal, as if to complain about its maltreatment, before revealing…

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing unusual.

Allura's extravagant bed was made, all the covers and stuffed animals in their proper places. Her room was spotless, and there was no sign of a struggle. The only things out of place were the three dumbstruck paladins standing in the middle of her room.

Now Lance spoke up, tainting the heavy silence with his deliberate drawl. “I told you. It's too early for her to go to bed.”

Hunk and Shiro gave him a sidelong glance. “You're the one who wanted to check her room first!” Shiro reasoned.

“Weeeeelll, yeah, but—”

Shiro rolled his eyes, folding his arms indignantly across his chest. His gaze critically swept over the sputtering Lance, who was currently attempting fruitlessly to salvage the situation. “Lance, it’s late, and Allura isn't here. We should go to bed and refresh in the morning. Let’s go, Hunk.” He said to the yellow paladin, who cast an uneasy glance to the distraught Lance before beginning to follow Shiro.

“Wait! You guys! You can't—! You're _abandoning_ the mission! What the hell? We haven't even found Allura!”

Shiro turned around, gaze catching that oddly sincere one of the blue paladin, whose expression was currently akin to that of a puppy dog than that of a human being. Shiro sighed, placing his head in his hands. “Lance,” he muttered. “This was a dumb decision in the first place. Allura is _fine_. She's probably somewhere else in the castle. And she most definitely isn't in love with Keith. We all miss him, dude.” He said softly, placing a gentle hand on Lance's shoulder. “Allura’s probably just spending some time by herself. Maybe Allura misses him as much as we do. Maybe she misses him more. Whatever it is, it's not our concern. What we should be worried about is stopping Zarkon. We don't have time to worry about social lives. Not when real lives are at stake every day.” Shiro’s obsidian eyes shone with surprisingly characteristic empathy. “We got to go to bed, Lance. Get some rest. If she's still not here in the morning, then we have reason to be concerned.”

After that extravagant speech, Shiro and Hunk once again began their journey to what Lance presumed was their rooms. Lance couldn't believe it! They were giving up! No way! He had to be onto something. He had to. They just had to find Allura…

But if she wasn't in her room, maybe she was in…

_No way…_

No. Way.

Lance had an idea.

It came to him quicker than most, and stayed with him longer than most fleeting thoughts that appeared abruptly in his head, only to disappear after a short tick.

“Wait! Shiro! Hunk! I know where Allura is! I know!!!”

It took him a while to catch up to the pair in front of him. Lance wasn't entirely sure if it was because of his odd profinity to run with his feet turned out, or if it was due to Shiro and Hunk’s strong need to get away from him as fast as humanly possible.

He had more than a slight inkling that it was the latter option. But it didn't matter. The _mission_ mattered.

“ _Shiro_!” Panting, panting, grunts. “H-Hunk! Y-you guys! _Wait_!”

Perhaps it was a bad idea, but in a second’s decision, Lance stopped the black paladin in the possibly worst way he could have ever imagined. Lance lept onto his back, wrapping his arms around his neck. “Shiro! Hunk! I have another idea!”

“Holy shit, Lance!” Hunk held his hands to his mouth, mahogany eyes peering out from behind fingers. He clearly was anticipating what was to happen next. In not a second’s hesitation, Lance was off Shiro and thrown none too kindly on the ground. As the leader turned, there was a flash of something inhuman in his eyes, perhaps a residual effect of his torture. But in a second later, the inhuman outrage and uncanny fear resembling that of a cornered animal was gone, leaving behind a much more normal expression on Shiro’s handsome face.

Frustration and exasperation.

“Lance?”

“Uh...yeah?”

“What the hell are you doing?”

“I was uh, trying to get your attention but you weren't listening…?”

Shiro breathed a heavy sigh, eyes shutting. Lance offered him a shaky grin, subconsciously fiddling with the zipper on his jacket.

And then, Shiro offered the boy a hand up, which Lance accepted with a rush of sweet relief. Because the wrath of Shiro was enough, Lance couldn't even begin to imagine the utter horrifying wrath of a _sleepy_ Shiro.

Lance shuddered.

“Alright,” Shiro sighed, clearly giving up the fight. “What's your new idea, Lance? We clearly have nothing better to do.”

Lance’s grin grew infinitely wider, reminding the other two paladins of a certain green monster who wanted nothing more than to steal Christmas.

* * *

 

  
“No. No. No. No. This is totally not happening.”

Lance rolled his eyes. Out of all the team members that could have been helping him on this mission, he had to have come across probably the most stoic paladin in space _besides_ Keith, and the other hesitant one who liked food more than he liked life.

Geez, even though Pidge would probably be beating him with a stick right now and calling him an envious imbecile, and Coran would probably be being his weird creepy self, they wouldn't be complaining _nearly_ as much!

“ _What_ , Hunk? This is where Allura is.”

Lance followed the trail of Hunk’s uneasy glance to where Keith’s plated name was ingrained into the metal door, then accompanied the gaze as it met Shiro’s. The black paladin had been unusually quiet, and without snarky commentary, simply standing stoically to the side, his arms folded across his chest.

Shiro shrugged, then met Lance's gaze. “Lance. This has gone a little far, don't you think?”

“It's _beyond_ too far!” Hunk cried. “This is _Keith’s_ room.”

“And breaking into Allura’s room isn't bad?”

“I never said that...but it's _Keith_! He's a really private person…and…”

“And?” Shiro promted with a wave of his hand.

Hunk unsuccessfully hid a grimace. “I...I don't know. I just don't feel right about this.”

Lance patted the distraught Hunk on the shoulder. “Relax, buddy.” He told the man. “This is necessary. It’s necessary for the mission.” Lance's lips curled up in his trademark smirk and he gave a nonchalant laugh. “Besides, he's not even here. His stuff’s not here, and he. Is. Not. Here.”

Hunk still was uneasy based on the way he carried himself. The yellow paladin rocked uncomfortably on his feet before eyeing Lance quietly. His gaze swept the corners of the room, as if he expected Keith to come barreling in with his sword; eyes flashing, scowl baring; and kill them all. “Okay,” he said, raising his hands in submission. “But if Keith ever finds out that we raided his room, I'm blaming _you_.”

Lance nodded assuredly, shooting the yellow paladin a dazzling smile. “Fair enough.”

“Good.”

“Good.”

“Glad we're on the same page.”

“Yeah totally.”

“Yeah—”

“Just open the door already!” Shiro cried. “I want to go to bed!”

Silence overtook the hallway for a brief, and two pairs of eyes turned to look at Shiro. Lance rolled his eyes. “Fine, bossy.” He muttered, motioning for Shiro to give him the master keys to open Keith’s door. Shiro did so, surprisingly without complaint or a snarky commentary.

Lance slipped the key into the electronic lock, watching it light up green. He grinned as Keith’s door opened with a resounding click, and swiveled deftly on his heels to see his teammates’ reactions. Surprisingly, Shiro was tense, his muscular arms folded across his chest, eyes narrowed in anticipation. Hunk had his head in his hands, hiding chocolate brown eyes behind them. He was also standing a ways back from Keith’s now unlocked room.

Lance rolled his eyes. Seriously, Hunk?

Hunk rolled his eyes in response, and Lance turned back to the open door, opening it with a sound hiss and click.

Everything was eerily silent as the three paladins eagerly anticipated just what was beyond that door.

They were in no way disappointed, but everyone save Lance was surprised.

Right on the bed, wrapped in Keith’s old sheets and blankets was Princess Allura of Altea, the pink paladin of Voltron.

An instinctive cry threatened to bubble up inside of Lance, but two hands promptly stifled it and pulled the boy away from the open door. Lance’s scream was muffled, and it was hard to tell whether or not it was of outrage or satisfaction of getting something right. Perhaps it was a little bit of both.

When Lance had calmed down from his miniature panic attack/freak-out, the other two paladins took place besides him, Shiro’s gaze critically intrigued and Hunk’s plain confused.

“I told you!” Lance mouthed to his friends, barely allowing anything but a prideful whisper to escape him. “She was here this entire time. See? I'm always right! Say it, Shiro!” Lance murmured to the other nonplussed paladins. “Say it!”

Shiro looked at him dispassionately, before shifting his gaze yet again to the sleeping Allura. “Lance, just because she's in his room doesn't mean she's in _love_ with him. She probably just misses him like all of us do.”

Lance threw his hands. “ _Seriously_?!" He yelled, disturbing the peaceful silence with the blatant sound of his voice.

He was promptly shut down by the chorus’ of _shhhhh’s_ that immediately followed Lance's characteristic lapse in whispering. On Keith’s old bed, Allura shifted, eyelids fluttering and mouth subconsciously turning down in a slight frown.

Lance, Hunk and Shiro held their breaths, awaiting what was to befall them in the near future. Or, the awakening of the sleeping dragon. But Allura simply relaxed, swallowed once and settled back down on the pillow, hugging it tightly to her chest.

The collective sigh of relief among the three paladins was a monsoon.

“Okay.” Shiro said, eyes never leaving Lance. “Time to go. We've seen enough.”

Lance cast one more glance to the sleeping Allura, watching with mild interest as her silver hair spread across the pillow, and one strand made its way into her open mouth. “But—”

“Lance. Time to go.” Shiro said sternly. “We should never have come here to look for her. This is her private life we're infiltrating.”

“But, Shiro—"

“I said no, Lance. Now, go to bed.”

Lance’s shoulders slumped, but he followed Shiro and Hunk back to the main living room where the book patiently awaited Shiro’s return.

* * *

 

“So what do you think about Allura, huh Hunk?”

Hunk and Lance were currently in the kitchen, with Lance sitting on a stool, head resting indolently in the palm of his hand, elbow upon the table. Hunk was currently munching on some cookies that he had made a few days ago, standing besides Lance, who couldn't get to sleep apparently.

“I don't know, man,” Hunk said in between cookies. “I mean, I guess seeing her in Keith’s room was pretty weird, but in love with him? I just don't know.”

“Do you think she's in love with me?”

“No.” Came the blatant answer.

“Wow, thanks a lot Hunk.”

“Well, I'm not going to lie!”

“Moving on!” Lance conveniently shifted topics in an attempt to salvage any pitiful amount of dignity that he had left. “What do you think we should do from here?”

“Honestly?”

“No. Lie to me, Hunk. Yes, honestly!”

Hunk rolled his eyes before absentmindedly taking another cookie and plopping it in his mouth. “Well, I think we should stop getting involved in things we don't need to be involved in, if you know what I’m saying…”

“...”

“Do you know what I'm saying, Lance?”

The answer was dull and emotionless, as if Hunk’s words had completely killed Lance. “Yes.”

Hunk licked the crumbs off his fingers one by one, conveniently averting Lance's death glare that he was sending his way. “You said be honest,” Hunk reasoned. “That was pretty damn honest.”

“That's a great idea, Hunk!”

“It is?”

Lance grinned yet again, newly rejuvenated with boundless energy. Hunk sighed. This couldn't be good.

“Yeah! We can question the rest of the team tomorrow!"

"I never said anything about—"

Lance promptly ignored him. "Then we'll know if Allura's in love with Keith! I mean, no one knows Allura better than Coran, right?”

Hunk rolled his eyes, just giving up. "Right.” He agreed begrudgingly.

“And Pidge is a girl, right? She knows all about that stuff. Right?” Lance looked at Hunk for clarification, which the yellow paladin provided once more.

“Yep.”

“And the space mice?”

“The space mice?” Hunk echoed.

“They're like, Allura’s pets! They have to know something.”

Hunk sighed in disbelief. “We’re gonna question the mice?”

Lance rolled his eyes, unaware of the potential problem. “Well duh!”

Hunk shut his eyes as Lance ranted on and on about this new obsession he held for meddling in Allura’s love life. Lance needed to go to bed. Or at the very least, he needed to find a better hobby that didn't involve stalking or getting involved in things that he had no business getting involved in.

But it was Lance, and when Lance was bored, there was no telling what he would do. Hunk just didn't think he'd stoop down to rock bottom.

But, he reminded himself: it was Lance.

He sighed once more, internally wondering what would have happened if he hadn't heard Lance and Shiro arguing in the middle of the night and decided to check it out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me your thoughts! Was it good, bad horrible or just plain trash? Let me know in the comments!


	3. In Which Keith is Scolded and Hunk Believes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is another chapter! I can honestly say that I randomly put this together and I don't really know how it turned out. There's a little Kallura and more familial bickering between my favorite trio.
> 
> Enjoy!

The day was another slow one, much to the dismay of Shiro, who was currently avoiding the blue paladin as well as he possibly could, and to Hunk, who was dozing lightly on the kitchen table, courtesy of one late night stalking session.

Shiro crossed his legs from his place on the kitchen stool, every so often casting a wary glance to the only entrance and exit door for even the slightest possibility of a lapse in their respite.

Also known as the hurricane that came in the form of Lance McClain.

When Shiro’s keen eyes spotted no such sight, they would gravitate back to his book for a short while, only to return to the steady vigiLance.

So when the door of the kitchen opened with a loud bang, Shiro heaved a heavy sigh and a dazed Hunk jolted awake, for the riotous little paladin had arrived.

“You guys are really mean, you know that?”

Shiro shut his book with a such a resounding slam, should he have been Altean, it would have cracked in half. Hunk’s bleary eyes rested on the excitable paladin who was currently pouting in the center of the kitchen. The yellow paladin stifled a small yawn before resting his head back down on the table.

Shiro rolled his eyes. “Why are we mean, Lance? Enlighten us, _please_.”

Lance huffed, folding his arms across his chest and tapping his foot indignantly on the floor. “Oh, you know _why_ , Shiro.” He said irately. “You know exactly why.”

“Trying to hide from you is a completely normal thing to do. Hunk is exhausted. I'm annoyed. Stop being such an idiot.” Shiro said.

“But the mission-!”

“There is no _mission_ , Lance! There never has been one! Allura is not—”

“What am I not?”

Three pairs of shocked eyes swiveled towards the entrance to rest upon the newcomer in the kitchen. Allura was staring at them expectantly, hair done in her classic updo, and her crystal blue eyes innocent and questioning.

“Am I missing something?”

She was met by a chorus of blatant ‘ _no’s_ from her paladins and she responded with a mere raise of her silvery eyebrow. Her lips pursed, as though she knew that the three were keeping secrets and she took slight offense.

“I see.” She said in a way that most definitely insinuated conversation about said topic later. Allura clapped her hands together, donning a serious visage. Her blue eyes hardened. “Well, The Blade of Marmora is on the line. They wish to speak with all the paladins regarding Zarkon.”

“Is…?” Shiro asked lightly, ending on an unspoken query. Judging by Allura’s responding grimace, she knew exactly what the proposed question was. The princess gave a terse nod, conveniently avoiding speaking his name.

“Yes,” Allura answered. “He's...there as well.”

The three paladins shuffled uncomfortably at the mention of their broody former teammate, but they followed Allura out into the control room nonetheless, Lance taking immediate notice of how she stayed near the back, crossing her arms around herself as to protect herself from being hurt. He also noticed how she was conveniently ignoring the red paladin’s hardened gaze on the screen.

Her eyes flicked up to meet those of Kolivan, where they softened in practiced authority. “Hello, Kolivan,” she said calmly before flicking her gaze to Keith. “Keith.” Her voice, if Lance were to examine it closely, was softer, yet her eyes turned to hardened glass. He acknowledged her greeting with a brief nod, and a small yet genuine half smile. Allura’s glance lingered on Keith before switching back to Kolivan. “I've brought the paladins to you. What is it that you wish to speak to us about?”

Kolivan was as stoic as ever, strong and imposing even to the five paladins of Voltron. And yet he held Allura’s gaze, and she met his with equal power. “We had assumed you knew, Princess,” he said. “We've caught wind of a possible attack by the Galra Empire.”

Allura pursed her lips, but her unwavering crystal blue gaze never faltered. “How soon?” She asked.

“Soon,” Kolivan answered. “Perhaps in days.”

Shiro looked pensive, but strong in his very own way. Different than Allura, but still quite strong. “What do you want us to do?” He asked evenly.

“I just ask that Voltron assist us in this probable battle. They come seeking the black lion, Shiro. And Voltron. We know the Blades will do anything we possibly can to stop this from happening. Can we count on you to do the same?”

Shiro's obsidian eyes hardened. “Of course,” he answered. “We've got your back no matter what. That's what allies are for.”

A hint of a smile flickered on Kolivan’s war-ruined face and he returned the statement with a brusque nod. “I believe you,” He said. “I wish you all—”

“Wait.” Allura’s voice rang out, ceasing all chatter and causing all eyes to turn to her expectantly. She payed them no notice, only watching the Galra on screen with a serious frown, as though she were attempting to hide emotion behind an apathetic mask. Her eyes flicked briefly to Keith once more, who had been oddly silent even for Keith. The red paladin’s eyes hardened as he met Allura’s gaze, as if he knew what she was going to request. “May I have a moment to speak with Keith alone, Kolivan? It will only be a moment, I promise.”

Keith’s lips drew into a solemn line as Kolivan conceded. “Alright,” he said. “But make it quick. We still have to prepare our forces to combat Zarkon, and Keith is a valuable asset.” Allura winced at the term, but agreed to his request. Kolivan gave one more nod to the paladins and Coran, patted Keith familially on the back and then walked out of sight, leaving only the former paladin behind.

When Keith was the only one left on the screen, Allura’s unyielding crystal gaze turned to the four paladins still present in the room. Coran opened his mouth to speak, but she silenced him with a quick hand and a stern look. Hunk, Lance, Shiro and Pidge looked at Allura. Lance’s face was deceptively innocent, Hunk looked uncertain, and Shiro looked dubious. Pidge just looked plain confused. Coran pursed his lips, and eyed the princess worriedly.

Allura spoke. “When I say alone, I mean alone.” Her gaze flicked to Lance, as if by some unseen circumstances, she had known exactly what had transpired the previous night. Lance unwillingly shrunk under her hardened stare, and Shiro, who had been critically observing the unspoken communication between Allura and Lance, nodded tersely.

“Take all the time you need.” He said with a pointed glance at Lance.

Hunk’s gaze flicked between Shiro and Lance and he nodded as well. “Come on, Lance,” he said. “Let’s leave them alone.”

Pidge shook her head as they left the two alone in the control room and her large honey eyes turned inquisitively towards Shiro. “Did I miss something?”

Lance walked with the other paladins, conveniently walking near the two guys, paused a moment, and then in a quick grab, snagged both Shiro and Hunk’s hands once their were conspicuously out of Allura’s line of vision.

“Lance, what—?”

“What the hell, man?”

Pidge cast a glance back towards the three, who now were a large distance behind her.

Lance stared Pidge.

Pidge stared at Lance.

All was silent and then Pidge let out a sigh. “I don't wanna know.” She said in a rush of air before leaving the three to whatever devious antics they planned on committing.

Lance’s gaze followed Pidge as she left, and when the green paladin was out of hearing range, he turned to the others once more. “Ok, here's the new plan,” he whispered, a devilish light gleaming in his blue eyes.

Lance was met with rolled eyes and a chorus of resounding groans as the paladins began their characteristic complaining once more.

“Lance! You're so annoying!”

“You mean: ‘Lance you're so annoyingly handsome and clever!’”

Shiro groaned, shaking his head in his hands.

* * *

 

The three paladins’ heads, one mahogany, two dark haired poked out of the wall like some kind of cartoon spy film parody. Three pairs of eyes scrutinized the scene from a safe distance, muscles tightening in preparation for a quick escape should it be necessary.

“Ow! Shiro, you stepped on my foot!”

“Oof, Hunk! How many cookies did you eat last night?!”

“Will you guys shut up!?”

“...”

Lance cleared his throat. “Shiro’s right,” he said with a pointed glare at Hunk, who threw his hands up in frustration. “We need to stay focused.”

Shiro sighed and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, _that's_ why I told you to shut up.”

“ _Shhhhhh_.” Lance hissed petulantly before returning his attention to where Allura and Keith were speaking. “We’re missing it!”

“I've told you in the past,” Allura’s stern voice carried by way of nonexistent wind, evidently displaying dismay that she rarely showed. “Voltron isn't the same without you.”

“And _I've_ told _you_ ,” Keith said gruffly. “I’m needed here. The Blades need me.”

Lance turned towards his friends. “What's happening?” He mouthed.

Shiro shook his head mouth pursing into an inquisitive line. Hunk, eyes wide and uncertain, merely met Lance's gaze quickly before returning to Keith and Allura.

“But we need you more!”

“You have Shiro.” Keith reasoned. “I’m…” a breaking pause. “Not...necessary.”

Allura went oddly silent, and when her voice returned, it was in an anguished whisper. “Don't say that,” she breathed. “Don't ever say that.”

“It's true.”

“No it’s not!” She cried. “Don't say that!”

“It is.” Keith whispered. “You of all people know, Allura. I'm...not…”

“Don't say it.” She snapped suddenly. “I know what this is about. You think you don't belong here. You think you are different from everyone here and that we don't love you because of it.”

Keith was silent, and apparently, Allura took that as a catalyst. Even though her voice was barely a whisper, it carried to the three shell-shocked paladins and to Keith like the loudest of trumpets in an otherwise empty room. “You think because you're Galra, that you're better off _dead_.”

“Allura—”

“No! _I'm_ speaking. Do you know what happened after we caught wind of your little stunt back at the planet Naxzela? _Do_ you? What were you _thinking_? Did you even _consider_ how we would feel if we found it you were…?” Allura gave a small gasp and her voice returned in a breathy whisper, insecure and uncertainly. “Did you even consider what I…?”

Keith went eerily quiet; Lance was practically straining his neck beyond possible in order to hear his response. But it was Allura’s achingly soft voice, sweet and vulnerable, that reached the three eavesdroppers’ ears

“Is this the Blade’s doing, Keith? Do you truly believe that your life means nothing in relation to Zarkon?”

His tone was brusque, giving away no answers and showing no emotion. “I did it for the Blade. Nothing else mattered in that moment but stopping Zarkon.”

Shiro, Lance and Hunk all heard Allura’s strangled gasp, and her near sob soon thereafter. Some part of Shiro knew that intruding on Allura’s private conversation with Keith was beyond wrong, but Lance’s inhibiting hand on his shoulder kept him firmly in place, not allowing him to bolt. Hunk was enthralled, eyes wide and guilelessly surprised.

“You're a _fool_ , Keith Kogane.” Allura said sternly, voice breaking. “The Blade has turned you into a _fool_ —”

“Allura—”

“ _Don't_!” She cried. “They have turned you against humanity. I _knew_ Galra were too unfeeling to have any sort of concern for individual life.”

“Allura, please—”

“I should have known better than to have trusted them. They don't _care_ about you Keith!” If the three eavesdropping paladins were to be truthful with themselves, they would have been inclined to say that Allura: strong, unyielding Allura, was close to tears. “They don't care about themselves. All they care about is seeing the Galra Empire destroyed.”

Keith’s voice was intricate as well, threatening to break into thousands of infantile shards of glass at the slightest bit of pressure. “Allura, please. This is their mission. I am a part of this mission and I need to stand by that. Even if it means giving up my own life.”

Allura went silent. And she said nothing else.

“Allura?”

“...”

Shiro, Lance and Hunk exchanged a glance.

“Allura?” Keith's voice was less brusque now, a slightest bit of worry leaking in like a stream of sunlight through an otherwise cloudy day.

Allura kept her silence. Everything was calm, everything was painfully still. It was as though every particle, every atom had stopped moving, leaving behind only tense silence. Lance noticed it, Shiro noticed it, Hunk noticed it.

They only had to wait a few ticks.

“Allura? Say something.” Keith sounded unusually desperate, worry saturating the tone. “Please?”

The only sound to penetrate the unnatural silence was the beep and the resounding click as Allura hung up.

Then the silence took hold again, and everything was still once more.

* * *

 

“What. The. Hell. Was. That. _What the hell was that_?” Hunk’s mouth was agape, and his eyes, wide and shocked, were flicking between Lance and Shiro.

The three had once again taken refuge in the comfort of the kitchen (Hunk had subconsciously led them there after they had heard Allura coming back from her...chat. He claimed it was instinctive, but Lance had a not so vague suspicion that Hunk just wanted to stress eat.).

Shiro watched the blue paladin as he paced back and forth, his obsidian eyes opaque and inquisitive. His cheek was in his hand, and he appeared to be the most composed of the group considering what they had just bore witness to.

“It was something we shouldn't have seen, Hunk.” Shiro said. “That was a personal conversation. If Allura had seen us there…”

Lance, though clearly rattled, waved the notion off with a nonchalant hand and equally impassive grin. “Eh. It's fine, Shiro. When she discovers what we're trying to do for her, then she'll forgive us for stalking her.”

Both paladins stared at Lance. Lance shook his head, lips pulled in a sheepish grin.

“We've changed the mission.” He said with a dazzling grin. “Instead of proving Allura and Keith’s love, we’re going to play matchmaker.”

Shiro shook his head. “They're not—”

Lance shut him up with a hand. “Nope. No talk of that Shiro. We have to get them together now that we know Allura’s not in love with me.” His grin dimmed a bit at this confession.

Shiro raised a hand.

Lance sighed. “Yes, Shiro?”

“I still don't believe it.” He said. “There's no way. I know Keith and I know Allura. There's no way they like each other like that.”

Hunk looked uncertainly at Shiro, hand extending towards a leftover peanut butter cookie from yesterday. “I don't know, Shiro.” He said, after taking a bite of said cookie. “Allura seemed pretty distressed, and I've got to admit, I've never heard Keith sound so distraught unless _you_ were hurt.” Another bite of the cookie. “And you’we like bwothews.” He said in the midst of chewing.

Lance grinned. One down, one to go.

“See, Shiro? Hunk’s a Kallura believer.”

Shiro eyed the blue paladin dubiously.

“Kallura?” He echoed in disbelief.

“It's their ship name.” Lance said as he too, took a cookie from the plate in the center. “It's confirmed.”

Shiro sighed. “Right.”

“Are we still on for interrogations? Cause I'm down.”

Lance gave Hunk a fist bump. “Hell yeah. This mission’s getting gooooood.”

“Am I the only one thinking logically?” Shiro asked incredulously. “We just eavesdropped on our teammates! And shouldn't we be focusing on the possible attack?! The Galra are preparing an attack that could hit us in a matter of days!”

Hunk looked uneasy again. “He's got a point, Lance. Shouldn't we be helping the Blades with the Galra attack?”

Lance tapped his chin inquisitively, his blue eyes narrowing. “Hmmmmm. We've got a few days.” He said. “We can get Allura and Keith together before we all die.”

Shiro scoffed. “Who said we were going to die?”

Lance shrugged. “I dunno. I'm just being realistic. Okay. I'll take Pidge and grill her for information.” He shot the two a dazzling grin. “I'm fabulous with the ladies after all.”

Shiro rolled his eyes. Lance promptly ignored him.

“Hunk, you'll take Coran. See if he knows anything on Allura.”

Shiro crossed his arms. “And what's my role in all this, Lance?”

A deceptively innocent look that appeared completely and utterly wrong on Lance’s face crossed and remained. Shiro went pale.

“You're gonna interrogate the mice.”

Shiro sighed. “Of course I am.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me your thoughts! I love to hear them!
> 
> In other notes: I'm so excited for Stranger Things season 2!!! It's going to be so epicccccc!!!


	4. In Which the Team is Interrogated

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a little more angsty than I originally planned... and much longer too. I think it's going to end up being around six chapters long.

Allura stalked into the kitchen, blue eyes weary and hair disheveled from many presumed runnings through it. She took a seat besides Lance, who sheepishly offered her a peanut butter cookie, which, as a matter of fact, she took with exhausted surrender.

Once seeing three pairs of eyes on her, a hand, one that was currently raising the cookie to her mouth, froze and she met the gazes of Shiro, Hunk and Lance. After a few ticks of uncomfortable staring and silence, Allura placed the cookie back on the plate, and pulled her lips into a perplexed frown. “Is there some reason you're all here?” She asked, suspicion laced in her tone. “And...why exactly you're all staring at me?”

Another tick of blatant staring and then they all conspicuously turned away, leaving a perplexed Allura to lift the cookie to her mouth once more.

“How...how was your talk with Keith?” Hunk asked with a concerned frown. “Is...is he okay?”

Allura's eyes hardened like glass and she set the cookie down yet again. She took a sudden interest in staring down the kitchen table. Slender mahogany fingers with perfectly manicured nails drummed anxiously on the surface, digging small crescent shapes into it with inhuman strength.

She tried not to wince, but the three paladins, who knew much, _much_ more than they should have, saw straight into her attempted emotional wall.

“He's fine.” Allura said sternly, still not meeting Hunk’s gaze.

Hunk’s chocolate eyes grew more compassionate, and the frown that had etched itself onto his face deepened. “Are...are _you_ okay, Princess?”

Now she looked at him, something reminiscent of pain flashing in her crystal blue eyes before it descended into stoicism once more. With a bang of her hands on the table, Allura rose, and with another bang of the door closing (the three paladins winced at the resounding crack that sounded, demonstrating her Altean strength and uncanny frustration) she was gone completely.

Shiro and Lance turned accusingly to a sheepish Hunk, who chuckled half heartedly. “Was it something I said?”

Lance rolled his eyes. “Wow. Nice job, Hunk.”

Hunk threw up his hands. “What?! What did I say?”

Lance gestured boisterously to where Allura unceremoniously exited not a few moments prior. “Did you _not_ hear what had just happened between her and Mullet a few minutes ago, Hunk?”

“What? Yeah I did!”

“So why did you scare her off?”

“Scared her—what?! No! I was trying to see if she was okay!”

Lance snickered and nodded. “Uh, huh. Yep. Okay. Well you did an awesome job, my friend. Just awesome.”

Hunk rolled his eyes. “Oh, please. I didn't see you trying to do anything to comfort her.”

“I gave her a cookie.” Lance pointed out.

“One of _my_ cookies!” Hunk countered.

“Are you saying that you wouldn't have—?”

“Will you two _quit it?!_ Jesus _Christ_ , you're annoying!” Shiro hissed, obsidian eyes flicking between the two teens. “If we're going to interfere even _more_ into Allura’s life—”

“Love life.” Lance pointedly corrected.

Shiro scoffed. “Whatever. Love life. Can we _please_ do it before we have to form Voltron?! Please?! Can we please do it before we have the _entire universe_ counting on us?!”

“...”

“Geez, Shiro. You're really good at emotions. Why don't _you_ go comfort Allura?”

“ _God-damnit_ , Lance!”

And thus, the argument was brought around full circle.

* * *

 

  
After Allura’s departure and following the brotherly argument between the three male paladins, Lance took it upon himself to devise a plan, or as Shiro liked to call it, ‘Lance's Cure for Uncanny Boredom’.

Currently, Hunk and Shiro were studying the poorly drawn diagrams that Lance had hastily scribbled onto a spare piece of paper, which was littered with stick figures and nearly unintelligible scratchy handwriting.

“Soooooo…what's this?” Shiro asked dispassionately. “I thought you had a plan.”

Lance rolled his eyes and gestured to the masterpiece. “This _is_ the plan. Remember who we’re interrogating? Hunk?”

Hunk raised his hand in a mock salute. “I've got Coran. You got it dude.”

“Shiro?”

“I'm not interrogating the mice.”

Lance threw his hands on the table, eyes flashing in frustration. “But Shiroooooo—”

He crossed his arms. “Nope. Not happening.”

“Shiro.”

“I said _no_ , Lance. How in hell am I supposed to interrogate mice?!”

Lance huffed, crossing his arms. Then a saccharinely sweet smile spread across his lips, taking the form of a wicked smirk. Shiro watched him warily. “Oh, Hunk?” Lance called out innocently.

Hunk eyed him suspiciously. “Uh, yeah?”

Lance studied his fingernails, that stupid smirk still lingering on his face. Shiro narrowed his eyes, trying to calm his beating heart. He _knew_ he shouldn't have eaten all Hunk’s special birthday cake. He _knew_ it. It was bad enough it had happened at all, but he just knew since having spotted Lance lurking in the shadows, that the very fact that he did eat all the cake would come back to haunt him.

Lance truly was a force to be reckoned with if he wanted to be.

“Do you really want to know who ate—mmmmph!”

Shiro covered Lance's mouth with his hand, shooting the concerned and confused Hunk a sheepish smile as Lance struggled under the black paladin’s unyielding grip. “Don't listen to him, Hunk. He's just kidding.”

Hunk nodded quickly with a slightly afraid smile. Shiro chuckled half heartedly.

At this moment, something small, slimy and wet touched Shiro’s palm, and he instinctively snatched his hand away from Lance's mouth, revealing a sickeningly prideful blue paladin.

Shiro nursed his damp hand and stared at Lance in disbelief. “Did you...did you just _lick_ me?!” He cried. “Dude! That's disgusting!”

Lance sat back, a smirk surfacing yet again on his lips. He eyed Shiro with slight interest. “You're interrogating Allura’s mice, right, Shiro?”

Shiro sighed. He was pointless to reason with.

* * *

 

They had decided to split up, with each going to interrogate their designated victim at the same time. Shiro had insisted that they cover more ground that way, and save time for the actual mission, as he put it. Lance, however, believed that the _actual_ reason for splitting the three up had more to do with the unceasing bickering and the fact that he was to interrogate space mice.

Dignity, Lance knew, was important to Shiro.

Why? He had absolutely no idea.

Apparently, even though the paladins, Coran and Allura (who was arguably, a paladin) were like family, Shiro still needed time away from the perpetual headache that spending time with the teenagers ensued.

Lance strolled through the hallways, preparing himself to talk to Pidge. He had always been good with ladies, but this one was...different, to say the least. Hell, he hadn't even _known_ she was a girl until Shiro pointed it out that one time. It frustrated him a little, though he would never _ever_ admit it to Pidge, Hunk, Keith, Allura, Shiro or Coran, that after all that time spent with Pidge at the Garrison, that _he_ , Lance The Ladies Man, was the last person to figure out that _Pidge Gunderson_ was _actually_ a girl. He would never admit to them how much that brought down his ego.

So yes. That made this situation a whole lot different.

He suddenly wished he had Hunk interrogating Pidge. Hunk knew her a lot better than Lance did. Hell, practically _everyone_ knew Pidge better than he did. Pidge had never really been on his radar. Hunk had been his best friend from the Garrison, Allura had been the unattainable _babe_ , Keith had been the compettitive rival, Coran had been the super creepy yet strangely relatable uncle, Shiro had been the bossy leader guy and Pidge…

Pidge was _Pidge_.

_Focus, Lance. This is just like every other flirting session you have ever done. It's just...Pidge._

He sighed. This was going to be so awkward. This was going to be so, so, _so_ weird.

_You should probably just turn back before things get really uncomfortable._

Wait.

This was about Keith and Allura. This was about _Kallura_.

This was for _the mission_.

Lance dried his sweaty palms off on his jeans.

_Okay, dude, you can do this. Be the ultimate wingman. You are the ultimate wingman._

He pushed the doors of the lab open, forcing his characteristic smirk on his face and deliberately stalking towards the swivelable chair. Some small part of him (barely even there) wanted to turn back when he saw the head of short, tawny hair, smelled the coconut of her shampoo.

_It's just Pidge. It's just Pidge._

He leaned against the wall, his ‘I’ve seduced a hundred women’ smolder creeping across his face. But it was accompanied by the racing of Lance's heart as he came to the sudden realization that he was in uncharted territory. A deep breath and then…

“Ah-hem.”

Pidge jumped in her seat, and as if she noticed something horribly wrong, she slowly turned around to face Lance.

“ _Ah-hem_.” Lance repeated.

Pidge's gaze drifted from his crossed legs to his sly smirk that had charmed a total of zero women and his hand resting casually on the wall. Confusion crept into her honey colored eyes, and her lips pulled into a concerned line. “Uh...hey, Lance,” she said. “Is there...something you needed?”

Lance gave her a dazzling grin. “Oh, I need something alright, Pidgey. And you've got it.”

Pidge's mouth dropped agape, a blush creeping on her pallid skin, and Lance's heart doubled in rate. This was wrong, so very wrong…

“Uh...what? What did you just say to me?”

...But when he got started it was oh-so hard for him to stop.

“Hm…” he hummed, reaching out to twist a piece of her hair with deft fingers. “Never took you for a stutterer, Pidgey, but it's cute on you.”

He gave a guileless smile.

The initial disbelief wore off, leaving behind a confused and slightly flustered Pidge. “Lance. What are you doing?” Her honey colored eyes flicked to the hand playing with a lock of her hair, where they widened in...fear? Uncertainty? The blush expanded to the nape of her neck.

Lance internally shuddered. This was _so_ wrong.

“I just wanted to ask you something, Pidge.” He said lowly.

“What?” Pidge asked in a breathy whisper.

“Do you think Allura’s in love with Keith? Hmmm?” He twirled her hair in his hand, letting it curl around his finger, before he let it go.

Confused honey met smoldering blue. But her voice was not a whisper anymore. No. Now it was suspicious. “ _What_?!” She asked. “ _What_ did you just ask me?”

Lance's heart quickened as she moved away from him, ice creeping over her eyes as to protect herself from...him?

“Did you just ask me about _Allura_?”

Lance's smile faltered. “Uh...no?”

“Cause I could have sworn you came in here, _played_ with my hair, used the _smolder_ on me, and then asked me if _Allura_ is in love with Keith.”

“Is that...bad?”

Pidge's eyes flashed and she stood from the chair, somehow appearing imposing even with her slight stature. Her honey eyes stared unafraid into Lance’s shocked ones and she made her way to the door. “Is that bad?” She echoed incredulously. “Is that _bad_? Lance! Next time you want to know about Allura, ask her yourself. Don't come to me and don't _ever_ flirt with me. I'm not one of your alien _whores_ , Lance. And I never will be!” With that, Pidge stormed out of the lab, slamming the door behind her.

His heart sunk in guilt, seeing Pidge look upset. He knew this was a bad idea. He knew it. Pidge had been on the end of some extremely unwanted affections today. Wow. The mission was going great so far. Lance couldn't wait until he was to speak with Pidge again.

If he ever did.

“Hey...Lance? Is my sister in here? Did you see her?”

Lance turned around to see Matt Holt standing in the doorway where Pidge had just...exited. He sighed, brushing past the boy that looked _exactly like her,_ leaving Matt confused.

Matt blinked. What the hell?

* * *

 

Hunk walked into Coran’s engineering room, kneeling besides the man who currently was buried in some kind of machinery. Coran was humming as he worked. Some kind of Altean folk song? Maybe?

Hunk cleared his throat.

Coran kept humming.

“Hey.”

No sound of stopping. The man was either deaf, insane or apathetic towards Hunk’s presence. Perhaps all three.

“Hey! Coran!”

The Altean jumped sky-high.

...or he would have if his head hadn't been stuck inside of the castle machinery.

“Ouch!” Coran yelled as his head hit the top of the machine. “Quiznack!”

“Uh, Coran? Are...you okay?”

Coran pulled his head out from underneath, Altean blue eyes with similar crystalline texture as Allura’s staring inquisitively back at Hunk. Hunk gave the man a little wave and a small smile as he proceeded to rub his head. “Ah! Hello, Hunk! I am quite well, thank you!” Coran smiled underneath his mustache.

Hunk looked at Coran, who smiled back.

“Uh...right.” Hunk said. “Anyways! I was hoping you had some time! I wanted to ask you some questions about Allura.”

Coran's expression shifted from ‘creepy space uncle’ to ‘protective creepy space uncle’. “Allura?” He questioned, rubbing his orange mustache. “What do you want to know about Allura for?”

Hunk chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. “Uh...is she…?”

Coran studied him intently, waiting for him to continue. His crystal blue eyes were like daggers, uncharacteristic for the flamboyant man.

“...uh...does Allura…?”

Coran waved him on with a hand.

“Does she...like anyone?”

Coran smiled at Hunk, returning to attaching the wires together. “Of course she likes people, Hunk! What a silly question!” Coran chuckled to himself.

A blush crept across Hunk’s cheeks, mantling upon his cheekbones. “No! That's not…”

Coran looked at him again. Hunk went pale.

_I'm so gonna kill you, Lance, if Coran doesn't kill me for asking about Allura’s love life._

“I—I mean...does she... _like_ …anyone. Like more than a friend. Like as a...mate?” He ended on a proposed query. Who knows? Maybe Alteans referred to partners as that?

Coran's mouth twisted into a frown.

_You are so, so dead, Lance._

His thick eyebrow began to twitch.

_Never mind Lance. **You’re** dead, Hunk Garrett._

Hunk chuckled, wringing his hands nervously. “You know...with…Keith?”

A tick and then Hunk bolted, not wanting to see or hear Coran’s response. He didn't stop until he was in the safety of his kitchen, a peanut butter cookie lodged in his mouth. The yellow paladin swallowed it whole, breath coming out in pants. Chocolate brown eyes surveyed the exit doors for a potential weapon wielding weirdo with a mustache bigger than his face and an oddly protective ‘creepy space uncle’ visage.

Hunk sighed when he spotted no such sight, stuffing another cookie in his mouth. “Lance I'm so totally gonna kill you.” He panted.

* * *

 

Shiro looked at the mice.

The mice looked at Shiro.

Shiro looked at the mice.

The mice looked at Shiro.

“Uhh...I want you to tell me what you know.”

The mice looked at Shiro.

“...right.” He rubbed a hand across his face. Four guileless pairs of eyes stared back at him. “It's about Allura.”

The clock ticked on, sounding abnormally loud in the relative silence of the castle.

With an uncertain clear of his throat, Shiro continued hesitantly. “So, uh…” He rubbed the back of his cleanly shaven head. “Can you tell me if Allura’s in love with Keith?”

The mice tilted their heads. One scratched behind his ear with his leg.

Shiro huffed, sitting down next to the mice, whose gazes followed the black paladin. He sighed, placing his palm into his hand.

Shiro looked at the mice.

The mice looked back at Shiro.

The castle machinery whirred in the background.

* * *

   
The three met in the kitchen, each exhausted. Lance looked around the room at each paladin. “So you guys have any luck?” He asked with unusual solemness. Lance ran a hand through his mahogany hair. “I didn't.”

Hunk shook his head. “Nope.”

Shiro pursed his lips. “Absolutely not.”

Lance sighed. “Wow, we’re really good at this matchmaking stuff.”

They resumed wordlessly sulking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have literally turned Voltron into a soap opera...


	5. In Which The Actual Mission Goes Awry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has a lot more angst than humor. Just a warning.

The day had come. Tension swirled in the air, taking the form of an almost tangible fog that settled over the castle. Anger and frustration touched the hearts of the paladins, brutal hatred for the Galra sizzled in Allura’s (I should have known better than to have trusted them. They don't _care_ about you Keith!).

In the kitchen, Hunk baked with an unnatural fervor. Pies and cakes piled up on the counters. Cookies and strawberry shortcakes and milkshakes galore.

_If we're going to die, we can't do it on an empty stomach._

Lance sat in his room, nervously wringing his hands in an unusual moment of complete quiet. An image of a certain paladin danced at the forefront of his tired mind. Liquid honey eyes widening in disbelief, narrowing just as rapidly, and solidifying in anger. Lance groaned, running frustrated fingers through his silky mahogany hair.

_You're an idiot, Lance. A stupid, stupid idiot._

Shiro sat at his control panel, watching Allura and Coran pace anxiously back and forth, simultaneously awaiting the arrival of The Blades of Marmora and the coming of the entire Galra empire. Allura sighed repeatedly, her crystal blue eyes flicking every so often to the door. Shiro twirled his blade between deft fingers, wondering for the first time if Lance had been correct about Allura.

He took a deep breath, setting his gaze to the open space.

_Don't think about such trivial things right now, Shiro. They're coming, and they're not going to care. They're going to kill us either way._

The three jumped when the alarms began blaring and the lights flickered red. Allura hardened as though she turned to stone, and Shiro nodded to her tersely. Hunk, Lance and Pidge burst into the control room soon thereafter, regarding Allura, Shiro and Coran with panicked eyes.

Shiro cleared his throat, gathering the team’s attention. “Paladins, it's time to get to your lions! We have to protect the castle.”

Hunk shook his head. “Whoa, whoa, whoa… what about The Blades of Marmora? And Keith?”

Allura visibly winced. Shiro pursed his lips but maintained his composure. He turned back to the concerned Hunk. “We do it with or without them. According to Kolivan, Zarkon and his fleet are almost here. They're all coming whether The Blades are here or not.”

Pidge nodded. “I'm in, Shiro. The Voltron coalition will stop them.”

Lance stepped forward as well, his blue eyes that usually danced with mischief gleamed with a serious light. “I'm in too.” He said with an awkward glance to Pidge, whose lips turned into a frown.

“As am I.” Allura said tersely, eyes unwavering. “The Galra took my family. Everything I've ever known. I won't let them take you all away from me as well.”

Hunk nodded. “I'm in.”

Shiro smiled. “Great! Then team, time to—”

“We are also in,” Kolivan’s booming voice cut in, clear pupil-less eyes staring authoritatively into Shiro’s. “This is our fight as much as it is yours, Shiro. It is time to fight Zarkon once more, and weaken him further. Defeat him once and for all.”

Keith, a shadow behind Kolivan, frowned slightly, obsidian eyes hard as stone, unyielding as Allura’s. He crossed his arms, conveniently ignoring Allura’s penetrating stare. “Do I even need to say ‘I'm in’ too? What are we in _High School Musical_? Let’s just get this going.” He pushed past Kolivan to stand besides Shiro, who shot him an exasperated glance interspersed within a small smile.

Lance rolled his eyes. “Keith,” he greeted. “Thank you for gracing us with your cheery presence.”

Keith returned the gesture with a death glare. “Not now, Lance.” He shot back. “I'm not in the mood.”

A not so subtle scoff came from Allura’s corner of the room. Shiro glanced at her questioningly yet she said nothing about it.

“Oooookay then,” Shiro drew out with a quick glance to the pouting Keith. “Now that the gang’s all here, It's time to form Voltron and kick the Galra empire’s butt!”

The resounding cheer was amazingly loud.

Allura couldn't help but notice how Keith’s head dropped low, his arms folded protectively across his chest. Obsidian met crystal blue for the briefest of instances before the former red paladin flinched under the princess’ uncannily vulnerable gaze, and promptly turned, following his Galra leader out of the castle and far away from Allura.

* * *

 

  
“Alright, team,” Shiro's voice came through the comm, resonating deeply through the paladins’ ears. They tensed in anticipation, feeling their lions’ very similar emotions through the bond they all shared. “Let’s do this. Everyone ready? Lance?”

“Let’s kick some Galra ass.” Came the confident answer.

Shiro scoffed. “Okay. Hunk?”

“Ready.”

“Pidge?"

“Let's do this!”

"Allura?”

Allura's attention shifted to the small gathering of black cloaked figures lurking near the door. The Blades of Marmora were like a well oiled machine, a solo entity with one mission.

That being, tear the Galra empire apart.  
Whatever it took.

Allura shuddered despite the warmth Blue gave off.

She spotted Keith Kogane amidst the crowd, his black hair a stark contrast to the thin white strands of the pure Galra. He stood out like a beacon, as if that alone were enough to prove that he didn't belong there. Didn't belong with them. As though he noticed her staring, his face turned, and obsidian eyes locked onto the blue lion, where Allura resided.

If Allura were so inclined to admit it, she might've considered the idea that he was in pain based on the almost imperceptible flash of something akin to agony that passed his eyes. Lips pursed into a straight line before he turned and ran with the horde of other Galra, until he was out of sight.

“Allura!”

Allura blinked. “Right, yes! I'm ready.”

Shiro sounded concerned. “Is everything okay, Princess? You sound a little stressed.”

“I'm alright,” she answered. “Just a bit tired is all.”

A heartbeat of silence, and then, “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” She replied with a sidelong glance to the door Keith had just exited. “I'm fine.”

* * *

 

Shiro tightened his grip on the black lion’s handles, effortlessly flying through space with his friends at his sides. Inside the yellow lion, Hunk flanked his right side, and the green lion to his left. Above him, Lance and the red lion were spinning in corkscrew flips, with Lance's whoops of utter joy coming in loud and clear in the intercom.

“Lance what are you doing?” Pidge asked. “Are you serious right now?”

Shiro was mildly intrigued when the red lion stopped flipping, settling to a rest besides the yellow lion. He didn't say anything to Pidge in return, a feat unusual for Lance. What was happening to this team?

The black paladin cast a glance to the blue lion coasting below him, an oddly quiet Allura residing inside. She hadn't spoken a word since originally taking flight and positioning themselves around the castle.

“Allura? You alright?”

Her voice came back tired. “I'm fine, Shiro,” she said. “Let them come and we'll fight.”

“Nicely said, Princess Allura,” drawled a new voice.

The paladins simultaneously groaned as a spaceship landed besides the black lion, a grinning Lotor existing peacefully within. The arrogant prince wiggled his fingers, casting a smirk to Shiro, who instinctively rolled his eyes.

Great. The cavalry had arrived.

If the cavalry had been a snake and a traitor that was about as likely to save a life as he was to stick a dagger through a heart, all the while sporting that same cocky smirk with annoying effortlessness.

“What? No parade?” Lotor mocked. “I expected better from you, paladins of Voltron.”

“Go fuck yourself, Lotor,” Lance shot at him with shocking venom. “You know you want to. Probably the only one who does.”

“Lance.” Shiro warned.

“Oh, Shiro,” Lotor lilted. “I'm touched by your protection.”

Shiro scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Shut up, Lotor.” He snapped. “Just because you haven't killed any of us yet, doesn't mean I trust you. In fact, if it were an option, I would want your head on a stick.”

Lotor hummed thoughtfully. Shiro groaned once more.

“Here, Shiro.” Keith said over the intercom, his Galra fighter ship coming to a rest besides him and Pidge. “The Blade is ready to fight.”

“Good,” Shiro said, subconsciously looking to Allura’s lion, having the vague suspicion that her odd behavior was due to Keith’s untimely arrival, and the slight possibility (barely even there) that all Lance's shenanigans were actually for something legitimate. “We'll need all the help we can get.”

Keith grunted in response. “So do we.” He said.

* * *

 

  
It happened in a split second.

One second, the space surrounding them was clear, the very same darkness and glittery wonderland of stars it had always been. The next second, space was littered with Galra ships of all shapes and sizes, overrun by laser pointers that could quite easily burn a hole through a space ship, and just as easily end human life.

In the center, facing the lions, was the purple and black glittering behemoth that was Zarkon’s ship, looming and overpowering as the emperor was himself.

Genocide was, apparently, a small price to pay in order to finalize his stance in the empire and only to make himself more of a crushing force of ultimate destruction and unmatchable control.

A quickened heartbeat of faux repose...

And in another split second, the battle began.

Unwilling bonds were forged through equally unwilling forgers, who were all too aware that should they falter, they would all meet the same grim fate: a brutal death at the hands of the emperor or his whore of a witch. Galra and human, Altean and Galra fought together for the first time in perhaps ten thousand years. For the first time in this hate-tinged universe, prejudice and abhorrence took a step back to account for the common enemy:

Zarkon.

Friend fought for friend—

(“ _Keith! Watch out!”  
_

_Keith's fighter ship whirled around at the desperate shout, only to be bombarded by a Galra pod, laser pointers out and ready to strike the unfortunate former paladin…  
_

_...only Shiro's lion was far faster than any mere Galra pod, and one blast from the black lion sent the fighter pod whirling into space, and catching fire soon thereafter.  
_

_“Thanks, Shiro.” Keith said.  
_

_“No problem, buddy.” Shiro replied._ )

—Potential lovers guarded potential lovers—

( _The yellow lion zipped through space with lightning quickness, rapidly approaching the Balmeran ship as it valiantly fought against the Galra ships surrounding it. One single angry blast from Hunk, and half of them exploded into space. Another vicious blast and the other half was wiped out. Even though the lions concealed human expressions from the others, it was certain that Hunk was smiling in uninhibited relief, and Shay, now safely residing on her ship, had cast the yellow lion a grateful glance laced with perhaps something more than mere comradeship.  
_

_-_

_“Pidge!”  
_

_The green lion swiveled around at the shout, Pidge’s honey colored eyes widening as a ship suddenly gave chase, shooting purple lasers in random sporadic patterns. She lurched the green lion forward, deftly avoiding each accurately placed throw. It became harder and harder to do so, however, as it was easier to play offense than defense.  
_

_Which, ironically enough, was the main reason the Galra fighter ship went down.  
_

_A beam of red light zinged from the red lion, hitting the fighter jet’s engine square on. The team sharpshooter’s voice rung in Pidge’s ears soon after the jet went down, concerned and oddly serious.  
_

_“Pidge! Are you okay?!”  
_

_The green paladin felt her lips twitch into a small smile, and the flirting incident was suddenly forgotten. “Yeah, Lance. I'm okay.”  
_

_-_

_And though Allura could not see quite see him, she felt the soft stir of his presence as Keith tried to be everywhere at once, keeping professional distance away from the paladins and yet also not allowing a thing to scathe them. His ship flickered into being to expertly shoot down a fighter jet as it zoomed towards an unsuspecting Shiro, whirled into action to protect Lance from another's clutches, and effortlessly dispatched one unfortunate ship that dared attack Pidge and Hunk.  
_

_“Allura!”  
_

_The guttural yell from the aforementioned was a simple prelude to what was to come next.  
_

_There was a sudden flash of pulsing purple light that encompassed all of the blue lion, turning the entire thing purplish-black.  
_

_A heartbeat of complete silence and then the burning pain started radiating in her body, zig-zagging its way through every nook, every single nerve. Allura screamed, having a baritone cry sounding something related to Keith’s voice joining her own sobs.  
_

_“Allura!!!”  
_

_The pain was excruciating. She could not move, Blue could not move.  
_

_Haggar had joined the battle.  
_

_And just like that it was over, and Blue was heaved out of the crossfire, with a panting, shivering Allura still inside. She was left with only an impression of concerned yet gentle dark eyes upon her before he whirled once more to face another one of the enemies.  
_

_“Thank you, Keith.” Allura whispered.  
_

_“You're welcome, Allura.” He responded in an uncommonly vulnerable breath._ )

—and former enemies did battle back to back.

( _“I seriously hope that you're not all looks, Princess Allura,” Lotor drawled with a mocking yet snaky glance to Allura. “I **love** a girl who can kick ass and look pretty at the same time.”_

_Allura promptly ignored him, forcing Blue into a quickened pace far away from the Galran prince.  
_

_“Hey, now. No need to be rude,” Lotor grumbled in mock hurt. “I'm a valued ally.”  
_

_“Ally?” Allura mumbled, blasting a rogue ship down. “Perhaps. Valued?” Another killing blow from Blue and Allura. “No.”  
_

_“Oh, come now,” Lotor continued. “I am a valuable part of the Vol—”  
_

_“Behind you!”  
_

_With movements only far too blurred for the human eye to comprehend, the Altean princess had hit the blast cannon, hitting a Galran fighter ship that had currently been sneaking up behind Lotor while he was conveniently distracted.  
_

_Boom! Down went the ship.  
_

_Allura smirked, and even though Lotor couldn't see her, she was pleased by his shocked reaction.  
_

_“That good enough for you, Lotor?” She asked innocently.  
_

_He grinned. “Quite.”_ )

Hours seem to pass, or perhaps days, perhaps weeks. The Voltron coalition fought Zarkon’s army with increasing fervor, and the empire’s mighty power steadily waned. There came less and less fighter jets from the monstrous ship that belonged to Zarkon, more and more explosions and more and more casualties on the Galra side than the Voltron side.

Still, it takes but one simple move for the entire thing to collapse, and that was exactly what happened.

It all began the moment _he_ appeared.

Zarkon.

He was clad in his armor. Haggar a faithful shadow by his large side. Even from afar, the purple and yellow eyes of the pair glowed menacingly, and the two silhouettes managed to loom ominously.

The giant man that was Voltron hesitated upon seeing them. This was the man who had tortured Shiro. This was the man who had stolen Pidge’s family. This was the man who had taken so many innocent lives. This was the man who had decimated the entire Altean race save two.

And apparently, Keith Kogane realized this.

She knew what he was going to do before he even did it, an instinct telling her to act on it.

Like a rocket, he was off, heading towards the pair with the intent to kill.

In an uncommon act of impulsiveness, she decided her next course of action.

And just like that, Voltron separated into the five lions, Allura speeding off behind him. She promptly ignored the concerned calls behind her, conveniently brushed aside all attempts to stop her.

All she cared about was stopping Keith from doing something stupid, even if it meant doing something stupid herself.

He catapulted himself out of his pod, leaping like a cat in front of Haggar and Zarkon. His knife shot out like a switchblade, legs swinging and kicking, mouth pulled back into a snarl. Zarkon dodged and dodged, Keith punched and punched and kicked and kicked. Haggar laughed and sent wave after wave of purple energy at the former red paladin, all of which he narrowly missed.

Allura inwardly facepalmed. _Impulsive idiot!_

Before she knew what she was doing, she too was exiting the blue lion, her whip materializing in front of her, shooting Haggar plain in her ugly face.

Keith’s expression was so very surprised, that under any other circumstances, Allura might've laughed. But he was caught off guard, and that meant he was vulnerable.

One blow was all it took for him to go down.

One blow was all it took for him to perish.

One blow was all it took for his fragile human head to burst like a cantaloupe.

So when Zarkon threatened to carry out that very blow, Allura intervened.

Very briefly, she registered Keith’s expression shift from that of shock to that of complete and utter panic. Very briefly, it clicked that Keith was outwardly portraying more emotion than she had ever seen him.

So when Zarkon’s weapon entered her side, a burning sensation spreading like wildfire through her body, she could very clearly hear his screams for her.

“Allura! Allura! Allura!”

She smiled up at him as his arms pulled her fallen form flush against him, touched a slender hand to his cheek as she caught wind of his panicked expression.

“Allura! Allura! _Allura_!”

Allura could have laughed. Just a few hours ago she was reprimanding him for giving his life for something not worth his life, and here she was doing very much the same thing.

Except it wasn't the same thing. If she hadn't interfered, he would have died.

“Allura! _Allura_!! You have to stay with me! _Stay with me_! Can you hear me?!”

 _Yes_ , she thought as her vision turned to monotonous gray and soon thereafter began the transition to unfeeling black. _Yes, I can hear you._

“Oh, god... _Shiro_! Lance! Hunk! Pidge! Come quick! Oh...no, no, no… Allura!!! _Allura!!_ Please… _Please!!_ _Someone help!!!!!_ ”

And just like that, his voice faded away.

No Keith.

No screams.

No color.

Just black. Then nothing. And finally gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it! Comments are always appreciated!! :)


	6. In Which Keith is Scolded Part Two and Lance is Forgiven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to complete this one as fast as possible since I left y'all at a cliffhanger last time. This last chapter has a good mixture of humor and angst in it so I hope you like it!

The red lion was silent, save for the soft lull of the machine’s engine and the occasional painful moan from the injured Altean princess currently resting in a concerned Lance’s arms. In the driver’s seat, Keith Kogane sported a grim expression, masking his concern for Allura with his characteristic brusqueness. Even though his mouth was set in an unfeeling line and his obsidian eyes similarly opaque, if one looked hard enough, they would see the whiteness of his knuckles as he held the controls in a death grip, they would see the tensing of his muscles in a guilty flinch whenever Allura cried out in unimaginable pain.

Behind the red pilot, Lance, who had volunteered to carry Allura while Keith brooded, glared daggers at his comrade, which, of course, Keith plainly ignored. But Lance, being Lance, was not accustomed to being ignored, and nor was he planning on becoming accustomed to being ignored.

“Keith.”

Keith's body tightened but he didn't respond, merely increasing Red’s speed in a reply.  
Lance rolled his eyes, feeling Allura shift underneath him. “Keith. This isn't helping.”

“...”

Allura's sharp scream stabbed the fragile silence, penetrating it like a dagger. She descended into pitiful cries and trembling gasps that cut through Lance’s soul. Instinctively, he gripped her feverish hand tightly, wincing as it threatened to slip from his grasp. Her crystal blue eyes opened, darting around frantically before landing on Lance’s face.

“Keith?” She whispered breathily.

Lance, who wasn't sure whether or not to be surprised, offended, or both, merely shook his head. “No, Princess. It's Lance.”

The blue paladin shot a death glare to Keith’s rigid back. “Keith is being an emo _asshole_ who lets his grief get in the way of his actual _feelings_. Yep! That's right, folks. Keith Kogane has _feelings_ , he just hides them like a scared little kid.”

Keith tensed, but didn't say anything. Lance scoffed, and tightened his grip on Allura.

 

* * *

“You're...idiot...stupid...emo...hole…’llura...dying…”

“Shut the...up, Lan’...you don't ...know...you're…about.”

“Yeah right...ullet...you're so stupid…”

 _Stop fighting_. Allura struggled to speak through her pain. _Both of you_.

But it came out as gibberish, and Lance’s blurry face turned to her in concern. Her heart throbbed in panic for a tick as she tried to locate Keith amidst the chaos that was her vision currently, but the various colors blinked and disappeared too quickly for her to get a good glance. She shut her eyes, gladly taking unfeeling black over meaningless vibrant colors.

“I don't want to hear it from you, Lance. You don't know what it's like to be me, you don't understand anything _about_ me!”

“It's _not_ about you, Keith! Allura is hurt, potentially dying and here you are sulking like a big baby! Stupid! You're so stupid!”

“Lance—”

“It's like this, ‘Hey, I'm Keeeeef. I'm going to escape everything by joining the Blade of Marmora and letting my emo self keep his precious, _precious_ feelings hidden from friends who actually care! Oh! And yeah! I'm _different_! I'm _Galra_! I belong with the _Galra_ because I'm evil.’”

“Lance—”

“‘Let's blow up some shit and kill Zarkon by myself because I'm a psycho and Allura hates me. Did I mention that I'm part _Galra_?! My race completely decimated Allura’s so I'm just going to sacrifice myself to kill Zarkon because, oh _right! No one loves me! No one could possibly love a half-Galran half-human **thing**!’”_

“I'm warning you, Lance. Shut up right now or I'm going to shut you up!”

“Well, guess what?! You're wrong! Allura likes you, maybe even _loves_ you. We all love you, Keith. Even though you're a stupid, _stupid_ idiot sometimes.”

Keith went silent, and Allura, though still writhing in pain in Lance's arms, strained to hear his response.

“Lance, that can't be true.” He whispered, voice threatening to break.

Her heart throbbed. _It is true_ , she tried to tell him, but all she could manage was a small whimper.

“Well it is.” Lance pointed out snarkily. “She only yells at you because she _cares_. Trust me. She cares. Why else would she, careful, logical, ‘straight to the book’ Allura hop out of the blue lion, rendering herself totally unprotected and leap in front of you to take a potentially lethal blow?”

Keith fell into a pensive quiet, Lance was practically radiating pride.

“See?” Allura had to strain to hear whatever Lance had mumbled. “I'm right. She cares.”

Keith said nothing, and the world faded to black once more, their comforting voices quieting to mere murmurs and then eventually to silence.

* * *

 

He kept his distance as Lance brought a shivering, weeping and partially unconscious Allura into the castle, handing the princess off to Coran. Coran, the ever protective creepy space uncle that he was, panicked upon seeing Allura’s case, and before he whisked her away, he cast Keith a glare laced with daggers, as though he knew Keith was responsible for Allura’s condition.

Great. As if he wasn't guilty enough. Way to rub salt in the wound, Coran.

So this is why Keith found himself wandering aimlessly around The Castle of Lions, after explaining briefly to Kolivan that he would be back to the Blades soon, that he had to stay and look after his fallen teammate for at least a little while.

Kolivan, after nodding collectively in solemn agreement, left Keith alone, perhaps subconsciously, perhaps consciously aware of Keith's inner turmoil.

He found himself here of all places. The former red paladin stifled a sardonic chuckle at the irony.

The door hissed open to the training room, and Keith got to work. He cracked his knuckles, all thoughts and worries fading away as he accustomed himself yet again to the familiarity of hard brutal exertion.

“Start training level seven.”

The animatronic dropped from the castle ceiling, its one crystal blue eye regarding him impassively. The machine landed deftly on its feet, straightening subsequently. A flash of blue as the thing came to life, and then he let himself go. The blade shot out, purple Galra symbol on its helm gleaming like a brand, a solemn reminder of why he couldn't stay. He screamed out a war cry, and leapt at the animatronic, parrying and striking with effortless and fervid energy. His foe wasn't an easy one; it blocked Keith's crushing blows with nearly flawless technique. Keith narrowed his eyes and lost himself further. The crystal blue eye of his opponent seemed to bore straight into him.

-

( _He watched her as she lept out of the blue lion, and for a mere second his heart stopped. What was she doing here? Why did she follow him? Allura wasn't that stupid. But still, she was there, crystal blue eyes unwavering even as she jumped in front of him without a second thought, and even still as Zarkon’s weapon penetrated her skin.  
_

_She screamed.  
_

_He ran to her.  
_

_She fell.  
_

_He caught her.  
_

_His stone cold heart jolted when those crystal blue eyes opened yet again, shocking him into silence with their alluring calmness and surprising placidity. Her hand extended to his face, brushing some stray black strands away. It rested there for a minute, eliciting burning warmth to spread across his cheeks.  
_

_She smiled at him, and then her eyes shut, fluttering eyelids concealing crystal blue from him._

_Her hand dropped from his face and her own face went shockingly still.  
_

_It was then that Keith finally found the voice to scream._ )  
-

_Allura!_

With one fatal swipe of the blade, Keith decapitated the robot, sending it into a maelstrom of glowing blue particles. With an uncaring hand, he pushed back some unruly strands of hair from his face and whirled to face the next oncoming target.

“Start training level eight.” He demanded gruffly.

The robot descended upon Keith, and the sequence began again.

-

( _He wasn't sure how long he had been sitting here, holding a suffering Allura, but when he looked up, he was greeted by a horde of friendly faces, all drastically different in size and shape, but all equally concerned. Shiro placed a hand on Keith’s shoulder, compassionate obsidian eyes meeting pain tinged violet. Keith shoved him off, averting his gaze. Beneath him, Allura heaved a strained breath, and released a small whimper.  
_

_“Keith. Where’s Zarkon?”  
_

_Keith didn't look at him, holding Allura as though he didn't deserve to. “Gone,” was the growled answer that came from Keith. A furious scowl twisted unpleasantly on his heavy features. “They left after seeing what they had done to...to her.”  
_

_He heard Shiro heave a sigh. “Okay. Come on. We can't stay here. We have to help Allura.”  
_

_Keith didn't move.  
_

_“Keith?” Pidge asked. “We have to get out of here. Allura...”  
_

_He didn't look at her, brushing Allura off of him like she was nothing more than a parasite. Though, was she? Or was he? Keith scowled. “I'm going after Zarkon.” He growled under his breath, standing up.  
_

_“Whoa, whoa, whoa. What?! You're a freaking psycho! Don't you even care that Allura’s hurt?!” Lance cried.  
_

_Keith said nothing, beginning the funeral march to his pod. Because **this was all his fault. This was all his fault. This was all his fault.**  
_

_“Keith! Get back here!” Lance demanded.  
_

_Keith kept his silence, opening the door to the pod with one click. **His fault. His fault. His fault**.  
_

_“Keith! She's **dying**.” Shiro said, his voice carrying like a million orchestral instruments in an otherwise empty room.  
_

_Keith stopped. Turned to face his former teammates, and Allura, who was convulsing and panting profusely in a grim Shiro’s arms.  
_

_“She's more important now,” Shiro said gruffly._

_“We'll get Zarkon later.”  
_

_After a few tension filled seconds, Keith dropped his weapon where it clattered resoundingly on the floor, and he made his way back to the paladins of Voltron._ )

-  
Boom. The second robot went down.

Keith’s heart was pounding, though from exhilaration or pain he knew not. Perhaps both. Most probably both.

“Start training sequence nine.”

* * *

 

Her eyes were glued shut, as if they had been held together by some unseen force. Allura felt her eyes flick from side to side underneath the eyelids, looking for color but seeing only blackness. Her body was sore and stiff, and there was a stabbing pain in her left side, one that pulsed like a light. A painful light in this case, whatever that was. But Allura’s mind was startlingly clear, and the nearly unimaginable pain had shrunk to a dull roar. It was a strange sensation, but Allura didn't especially want to dwell on it.

“Princess...alright…fine...few ticks...wake up.”

 _Coran_ , she struggled to say.

“Are you...Coran? Because she...so peaceful…”

 _Shiro_.

“Allura. Wake the hell up. How else are you supposed to gaze upon my good looks?”

If her mouth had been under her control, her lips would have pulled into a small smile. _Lance_.

“Where's Keith? He should be here right now.”  
Her mind flickered with something similar to pain at the mention of the former red paladin, but she recognized the voice all the same. _Pidge_.

“Guys! I think she's waking up!” Cried a familiar voice that Allura had always associated with compassion and unearthly kindness. _Hunk_.

Her eyes peeled open, revealing a curious shape above her. One with blue eyes and a sly smirk. In a moment of residual panic, Allura’s fist shot out, meeting the face and the man cried out in pain, releasing a string of curses afterwards. “Jesus _Christ,_ Princess!” He cried. “That was my _nose_!”

She heard Shiro laugh as she sat up, watching as Coran winced while she flinched in momentary pain. Beneath her, Lance was nursing his bleeding nose, glaring daggers at her.

“Don't worry, Princess,” Shiro chided with a light grin and a playful glance to the injured Lance. “He deserved it.” Lance stuck his tongue out at Shiro. Shiro rolled his eyes.

“Right.” Allura said.

She took this time to look around at her surroundings, slightly repulsed to find that she was in a healing pod. The very same one that she had spend ten-thousand years in a deep, deep sleep. Allura shuddered, taking a step out of the pod

...only to fall flat on her face.

Well, she would have if it hadn't been for Shiro.

With a thankful glance to the black paladin, she stood up on her own, absentmindedly rubbing her side. Her gaze left Shiro, and proceeded to do a brief sweep around the room. The soft green glow of the cryopods set the faces of her friends alight with eeriness, Lance’s nose was smeared with the slightest bit of blood, to which he uncaringly wiped away some of the rich redness from his nose, essentially smearing it on his cheeks. Pidge’s hand was on Lance’s shoulder, and while her gaze never left Allura, the princess could see the barely visible squeeze that the green paladin gave Lance, eliciting a crimson blush to meld with the blood on his cheeks. Hunk was smiling, his brown eyes shining with uninhibited relief and uncanny compassion. Coran stood next to him, blue eyes alight with fatherly concern.

Allura felt her lips pull into a smile. Her family was here.

The smile fell a tick later as her eyes searched the darkest corners of the room, contorting into an inquisitive frown. “Where’s Keith?”

The paladins and Coran’s expressions mirrored hers. Shiro shifted uncomfortably, his hand sheepishly running along the back of his head. “Uh...maybe now’s not the best time, Princess. You just woke up and—”

Allura shook her head. “That didn't answer my question, Shiro,” she said dismissively. “Where’s Keith?”

Lance rolled his eyes, muttering something unintelligible to Pidge, who laughed lightly. Allura raised an eyebrow, casting her death glare to Lance, who paled significantly upon being discovered.

“Where is he, Lance?” Allura asked gruffly.

“Lance, she can't know yet,” Shiro hissed. “Your ‘mission’ is over and it has been a huge failure. Allura has to rest before you try again!”

Allura opened her mouth in confusion, only to shut it again.

Lance’s lips curled into a grin, causing Shiro to place his head in his hands. Pidge looked to him in confusion and then back to Allura. “Mission? What mission?”

Shiro ignored Pidge. “Lance...I'm warning you...if you so much as say a single—”

“He's in the training room.”

“Lance! What the hell?!”

Allura smiled at the grinning, snickering blue paladin. “Thank you, Lance.” She said quaintly before exiting the room.

“Lance, you idiot!” Shiro cried. “She was supposed to rest before she spoke to him!”

Lance laughed harder, slapping his knee like a deranged fourth grader.

“Am I missing something?” Pidge asked Lance.

“Yep...yes you are.” Lance managed in between laughs.

Allura smirked at the dysfunctional yet extremely functional group before the door shut behind her with a resounding click, the angered and amused voices of her paladins resonating behind her.

* * *

 

  
Pidge sat back down at her swiveling chair, pressing her fingers back down upon the familiar keys on her computer. She heaved a meditative sigh, calming her turbulent mind as the computer responded under her touch. Allura was fine, Keith was back...she was back at her computer…

Everything was back to normal.

She sighed, placing her head in her hands.

Why didn't she feel like everything was back to normal?

(“Pidge!” She heard him cry out in pain before anything else, before the Galra ship began shooting lasers at her. She dodged with flawless technique, but in the end, it was Lance who had ended it. She whispered a thank you to the pilot or the blue paladin before preparing herself to face the next oncoming monster.)

Oh. Right.

 _Stupid_. She chided herself. _He doesn't like you like that._

The door to her lab swished open, and Pidge stiffened instinctively before rolling her eyes. “I'm fine, Shiro,” she said dismissively. “I don't need anything, thanks.”

“It's...uh...not Shiro.”

She shut her eyes, heaving a nervous sigh.  _Shit_.

Pidge's fingers began to idly drum on the keyboard, and she silently willed him away….

Though, Lance didn't hear her internal pleas for sweet release, instead taking a seat besides her chair. She heard the creak of the old chair as it complained under his weight, felt his eyes boring holes into her head, felt soft even breath tickling her skin.

“Hey, Pidge?” Something clattered on the table. “You okay?”

She looked at him, taking notice of the boy’s oddly serious visage, the stern set of his jaw and the unholy blue of his eyes, currently trained on her. Her lips curled into a partially uncomfortable scowl. “I told you,” she said softly. “I'm fine.”

His lips trained into a solemn line and his eyes glittered with discontent. Pidge was surprised he hadn't turned the entire thing into a joke yet, but she didn't quite put it past him. It was Lance, after all.

“No,” he disagreed with a small smile. “You told Shiro. I'm not Shiro."

“No,” she said in collective agreement. “You're not.”

He pushed a tea cup her way, that sweet small smile still lingering on his lips. Pidge stared at it for a few seconds before turning her gaze to meet his.

“There's no beverages in the lab.”

Lance’s uncharacteristic smile transitioned to a smirk that made her heart stutter. “It's your favorite…” he enticed. “Peppermint…”

Pidge smirked, gripping the edge of the cup. Lance's smirk grew in response. “Come on, Pidge...drink it! Drink it! Drink it!” He chanted.

Pidge glanced accusingly up at Lance after taking a sip. Damn it was good. “I already forgave you,” she told him lightly. “This olive branch isn't exactly necessary.”

Lance smiled at her, placing a hand on hers. “I know,” he said. “I just...did it. ‘Ya know, because.”

“Because why?”

The blue paladin adopted a dreamy visage, knitting his hands behind his head. “Just ‘cause.”

Pidge rolled her eyes, taking another sip of the tea. Lance stayed besides her, entwining their fingers together.

* * *

She found him exactly where Lance said he would be, taking out his grief and frustrations in the only way he knew how to...pure and exhilarating combat. The door to the training room opened with a quick hiss, and Allura walked silently in, watching with awe as he took out robot after robot, with movements far too graceful to possibly be human. His black hair was drenched with sweat, and occasionally, an uncaring hand would take the time to wipe it from his forehead, before he descended upon the training system once more.

He made no move to confront her, no move to even notice her presence, though Allura was nearly positive he knew she was here with him.

“End training sequence.” Her authoritative voice echoed accusingly around him, and the robots adhered to her command, exploding into a flurry of blue light.

Keith looked at her now, a flash of something akin to pain in his eyes before it descended quickly back into stoicism. He folded his arms protectively across his chest, averting his gaze from hers.

“Begin training sequence ten.” He said gruffly, swinging the blade in preparation to face the next onslaught.

Allura crossed her arms as the robots began appearing once more. “End training sequence.”

They ascended to their pods yet again.

Keith looked to her in exasperation, that flash of pain reappearing in his eyes. “Allura, I'm not in the mood for another—”

He didn't have time to finish his sentence, for the Altean princess had crossed the training floor in two long strides and wrapped her arms tightly around the red paladin. Her hands came up to run fingers through his silky hair, feeling it subsequently curl around them. Her face nuzzled into the nape of his neck, and she felt him gasp a startled breath into her hair.

At first he was stiff, but Allura felt his body soften with time, and his hands came to wrap tightly around her as well. His breathing evened after a while, and deft, trembling fingers came up to settle in her hair.

“Allura?”

She shook her head. “Don't ruin it.”

“Okay.”

They stayed like that for a few moments more, before Allura pulled back to look at him. His eyes were kind yet shocked, and a gentle hand came up to brush her cheek eliciting a slight shudder.

“Allura?”

She felt her lips pull into a frown. “You're an idiot.” She said.

His eyes hardened. “I told you I didn't—”

“I heard you.” She said sternly. “I heard you just fine. But you almost got hurt, and now you're trying to play it off like it never happened.”

The vulnerability left his eyes, trapped once more behind stern stone walls of brusqueness and snark. “You never should have followed me.” He released in a growl. “I never wanted you to get hurt.”

Allura took a step back, taking notice of the brief flash of hurt that appeared in his eyes as she did so. “Well, what?” She demanded, throwing up her hands. “Did you think I wanted you to get hurt?”

“No, but—”

“ _But?!_ ” She shrieked. “But _what_?!”

He averted his gaze from her penetrating one. “But I already told you, you have Shiro. And the Blades have me. We're fine on our own—”

Allura slapped him. Hard.

He looked at her incredulously, only to soften his gaze when he found tears in her eyes. The boy crept closer once more, which only made Allura cry harder. “All—Allura?"

“You—you really believe that, don't you?” Her voice escaped her in a breathy whisper.

“Believe what?”

“That no one loves you.”

Keith went silent, and Allura took him in her arms again. This time, the red paladin’s arms curled around her slight form without hesitation, and Allura felt a slight pressure on her head as he rested his chin against it. He let her cry against him, pressing a small kiss into her hair. His arms tightened around her when her sobs grew louder.

“I wanted to see you, you know. I was so  
worried.” Keith whispered into her hair. “But I didn't think you wanted me to.”

“Why?” She murmured.

“Because you were so mad at me. I thought you went back to hating me.”

“Oh, Keith,” she breathed. “I could never hate you. Ever.”

She felt him sigh in relief, and he shifted in her grip to run idle fingers through her hair.

“You're always welcome here, Keith.” She said. “No matter what you believe, you do belong here. You don't need to hide behind the Blades. You have a family here.”

He hummed in acknowledgement, pressing another featherlight kiss to her hair. The Altean princess squeezed his hand as he continued to run indolent fingers through her hair.

"I'll consider that proposal." He whispered in her ear.

She smiled against him. "You'd better."

* * *

 

“All’s well that ends well.” Lance said as he eavesdropped on Keith and Allura’s conversation. “All’s well that ends well.”

Shiro shook his head, laughing. “You really are annoying, you know that?”

Hunk joined in, casting a cursory glance to the embracing pair in the training room. “Yeah, but you've got to admit, Shiro, he's persistent.”

Lance smirked. “Thank you, thank you.” He said, waving to the imaginary audience. Shiro rolled his eyes, cuffing the blue paladin playfully on the head before preparing to leave.

“Hey Shiro?”

Shiro turned. “Yeah, Lance?”

Lance grinned maliciously. “Isn't there something you want to say to me?”

Shiro shook his head, not comprehending. “No.  
Not really.”

“You sure?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Really really sure?”

“Yep.”

“Really, really, really sure?”

“Lance. Is there something you want me to say to you?”

Lance lept to his feet, meeting Shiro’s dispassionate glance. “Tell me I'm always right. Say it, Shiro! ‘Lance is allllllwaaaaays right.’”

Shiro stared at him. “Not a chance.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much to those of you who read and liked my random-ass Kallura fic. This is the last chapter, but I love writing about these characters so I may write more in the future. I love you all and hope you all liked Interference. It means a lot that you stopped to read it!!!

**Author's Note:**

> Tell me your thoughts!!!


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